reach down

[jasonlulu_2000]

“I’ ve been doing this job for 10 years,and I can’t think of any case where we’ve had a parent call about a lost child,and it turning out to be foul play,” Natale says.
During the hustle and bustle of the season,Natale also reminds shoppers to keep one thing in mind. “A lot of people willsee a kid running, and they’ll see a parent chasing after them. Most of thetime people just watch them go past,” he says. “People are afraid to helpbecause they’re afraid they’ll get accused of something, but I know you can reach down and grab his jacket and say ‘Is this yours?”
Whatdoes the underlined sentence mean?

Thanks

[Barb_D]

You slow down/stop the child by grabbing him/her by the jacket and ask the parent, essentially, if they are looking for "this" (meaning the child). No, we don't usually refer to children as "this" but it's a little attempt a humor, they way you'd pick up a pen that someone has dropped when you see them patting down their pockets looking for the pen, and say [Are you] looking for this?"

[jasonlulu_2000]

Thank you! Got it!